


Hand in Mine

by Loopstagirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 05:27:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2012712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loopstagirl/pseuds/Loopstagirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every second Arthur was out of sight, Merlin worried. Considering the injuries now coating his lover's body, Merlin felt he had every right to do so.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hand in Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners.
> 
> Written for the Camelot-Land prompt; Worry

Merlin sighed as he stared down at Arthur’s pale face. All he had wanted was to get the man back to Camelot and into bed so he could look after him. But Arthur just seemed to be even whiter against the crimson of his bed, a taunting reminder of the blood he had lost before Merlin had been able to get to him.

Sighing, the warlock dipped a cloth in the bowl of water and gently dabbed at Arthur’s forehead, making a mental note to tell Gaius his temperature didn’t seem to be coming down. The physician had been hoping it was just events catching up with Arthur that had caused his body to protest a little but Merlin wasn’t so sure. He was convinced there was something they had missed, that one of the numerous injuries littering his prince’s body had become infected and Arthur was in the fight for his life while Merlin just sat there and stared at him.

Letting the cloth rest over Arthur’s forehead, Merlin picked up his hand and pressed the back of it to his cheek. Allowing his eyes to fall shut, he just focused on the feeling of Arthur’s hand in his, reassuring himself they had got Arthur back. It might have been two weeks of not knowing where he was and knowing he could have been dead, but it had felt like a lifetime to the prince’s worried lover.

“I’m so sorry,” Merlin whispered, tilting his head towards the contact of Arthur’s hand. He was supposed to be the most powerful warlock to walk the earth, and yet al it had taken was a few bandits and he had almost lost Arthur. He knew the visible injuries were probably only half of what they had put Arthur through while they organised selling him to Camelot’s enemies.

With his eyes shut, Merlin’s mind let him see the damp hut where Arthur had been kept. It was only a harsh yet muffled cough that had even drawn their attention to it. Arthur had been tied to the ceiling, naked and gagged with his feet not touching the floor, his body covered in signs of beatings and whippings and his chest trembling as the dampness of the hut had begun to take its toll on him.

Unable to stop himself, Merlin shuddered as the image swam before him, but then his eyes flew open. He was certain his hand had just been squeezed. Arthur’s eyes were still shut, but even as Merlin watched, a deep frown crossed his sleeping face and Merlin knew it wasn’t his imagination this time; Arthur had squeezed his hand again.

Moving the damp cloth from his forehead, Merlin tenderly brushed back his hair.

“Arthur? Arthur, can you hear me?” He cajoled, coaxing the man into waking up. Arthur had passed out not long after they had got him out of the hut, clearly realising he was surrounded by friends and his nightmare was at an end. While Merlin knew it was good for getting him home – it meant Arthur hadn’t felt the pain of a rough journey – the warlock had been desperate for him to wake up ever since they got back.

“M’lin?”

“It’s me, love. I’m here. You’re safe; you’re home.” Merlin kept up a stream of reassurances as Arthur clearly fought his way back to consciousness. Eventually, however, his eyes opened and Merlin instantly smiled in relief as Arthur’s gaze focused on him.

“Hi,” Arthur whispered, Merlin pressed his lips to his hand again.

“Hello yourself,” he murmured back, not wanting to raise his voice in case it broke the moment between them. Arthur’s fingers twitched until he could curl his fingers around Merlin’s own hand.

“Home?”

“Yes, love. You’re home and safe.” Merlin knew not to rush him; Arthur was injured and ill and probably needed a moment or two to come to terms with the fact that his nightmare had ended. Arthur swallowed, the action causing him to wince even as he looked around his room, taking in the comforting sights. Merlin quietly poured out a goblet of water before handing it to the prince.

Arthur tried to grip it. But a bone had been broken in his hand – early on according to Gaius considering how much it had already healed – and the water tilted alarmingly. Merlin could see the frustration burning in Arthur’s eyes and he gently took the cup, holding it to Arthur’s lips. The prince obediently drank, although Merlin had to stop him from gulping it as he knew that would only make Arthur sick.

Arthur fell back against the pillows after he had drunk his fill and Merlin recognised the look instantly on his face.

“It will get easier,” he promised, setting the cup to one side and scooting closer to the bed. If he went any nearer, he would be on it. “You’ve only just woken up, you need to give yourself time to heal.”

“I have to get back out there,” Arthur muttered, looking for all the world like he was going to try and get out of bed. Merlin rested a hand against Arthur’s shoulder. Although the prince struggled against the grip, two weeks of being starved had taken their toll and he couldn’t dislodge it. He didn’t have the strength to get out of bed and the look of shame only intensified. Merlin lent forward and kissed his forehead.

“No, you don’t. You need to rest. They have been dealt with.”

“No, Merlin, I-,”

“Arthur,” Merlin said firmly, cupping the prince’s cheek in order to force Arthur to look into his eyes. “They have been dealt with.”

Arthur didn’t say anything for a long moment and Merlin knew he was processing what Merlin had just said. Arthur had known about his magic for some time now, Merlin not being able to lie any longer when they had started exploring their deepening feelings for one another. Considering Arthur knew how passionately Merlin cared for him, he must know the warlock wouldn’t let anyone hurt his prince and live to tell the tale. The prince eventually nodded and rested back on the pillows.

“I hope you didn’t make it quick,” he muttered and Merlin knew that was his way of saying he was letting it go. For now, at least. Merlin was under no illusions that Arthur would be personally leading hunts to flush out bandits as soon as he could stand again.

“Arthur, I… I should have found you before. For two weeks I was sending out all sorts of magic to try and locate you and I couldn’t. I should have done more…”

“You couldn’t, you were… Merlin, your shoulder!”

“It’s fine now,” Merlin was quick to soothe, making sure the bandage wrapping up the deep wound on his arm was hidden. He didn’t want Arthur worrying. That had been the only reason why the bandits had been able to take Arthur in the first place; the agony of having an arrow in his shoulder had distracted Merlin for long enough for them to get close. By the time he could think through the pain, Arthur had been in the fight for his life. One had come up unnoticed behind Merlin and simply smacked him over the head with a branch before he had time to react. He knew him toppling into unconsciousness must have been what had distracted Arthur enough for them to take him.

“Gaius said I will have an impressive scar and that is it. Nothing compared to you, anyway.”

Arthur glanced down, as if wondering whether he could see through the covers to the injured body resting below them. Merlin didn’t say anything about the way Arthur shuddered, knowing his prince would never admit to weakness. Not that Merlin would ever see him as anything but strong, but that wasn’t how Arthur thought.

“They knew what they were doing,” Arthur muttered, leaning back on the pillows again and staring with unseeing eyes at the canopy above his bed. “The first time, I thought they were just coming to gloat, lash out a few times to show I was at their mercy.  But someone had given them hints. Even the whips, for I know usual bandits don’t have weapons that elegant. Someone also knew who to approach with the offer of having me captive, I overheard them talking.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that someone is organising the thugs, Merlin. They’re even more dangerous than before because someone is making them work together…”

“Arthur, you need to relax. Those ones can’t come after you again and you need to get your strength back before you go charging into the forest.”

Arthur sighed, a long drawn out one that Merlin knew meant he was frustrated. He couldn’t blame him; Arthur was a man of action and had already had two weeks being a prisoner. He still was in a way now, only a prisoner of his own body until it healed enough to let him move around without pain.

Silence fell between the two men as they both reflected on what had happened. Merlin knew he was lucky to have his prince back and had no intention of ever letting Arthur out of his sight again. He knew that was impractical and would most likely fade with time – especially once Arthur was back to full strength – but right now he didn’t care. He didn’t want to ever go through the lost feeling again of not knowing where Arthur was. Nor did he want to be sitting by Arthur’s bedside like this, not being able to do anything but reassure him and help Gaius with the bandages when the time called for it.

After a few moments, however, Merlin realised Arthur had drawn his hand closer. Merlin jumped when he felt kisses being littered over his fingers.

“What are you doing?” He asked softly, an amused grin already beginning to tug at the corners of his lips as he watched Arthur continuing to kiss him.

“Apologising.”

“For?”

“For making you worry,” Arthur sucked a finger into his mouth and Merlin drew in a sharp breath, his body reacting. Arthur knew how sensitive his fingers were.

“You have nothing to apologise for, you fool. It was hardly your fault…”

“But it was me who wanted to go to the clearing just the two of us that day, without armour or the knights.”

“I don’t think armour or knights quite fitted in with your plan of ravishing me in the grass, did they?”

“It was reckless.”

“No, Arthur, it was unfortunate. We’ve gone to that spot hundreds of times, let down our defences… Nothing’s ever happened before.” Often when Arthur needed to escape the pressures of being prince, they would ride to a clearing in the woods and make love in the grass, not having to worry about who heard them or what Merlin’s magic did to express his contentment.

Merlin knew they were going to have to find a new spot once Arthur was strong enough. If nothing else, if they could carry on, it would mean Arthur wouldn’t get paranoid. Merlin wanted him safe, but he also wanted Arthur to live a little and not hide behind his sword all the time.

In response to his words, however, Arthur returned his attention to Merlin’s fingers.

“I want you to take me now,” he murmured around the digit. Merlin gently withdrew his finger, leaning forward and kissing Arthur’s forehead.

“You’re hardly strong enough right now, love.”

“I want to feel pleasure again, Merlin. I want to know that my body hasn’t betrayed me entirely and only let me focus on pain.” Arthur continued talking for a few moments and to Merlin’s alarm, there were tears swimming in the prince’s eyes. From what Merlin could gather, he was worried that he would only ever feel pain again. Having a feeling Arthur was just playing him to get what he wanted, Merlin sighed and slipped his hand under the covers.

Arthur was naked underneath. It was easier to deal with the numerous wounds for one thing, and the fact that he was restricted to his bed meant clothes just weren’t necessary right now, especially not as they would probably catch on his wounds. But it made Merlin’s task easier as he skittered his fingers across Arthur’s thigh before taking him in hand.

He went slowly, watching Arthur’s face as he changed pressure and speed until Arthur’s face went lax with pleasure and Merlin felt a sticky mess coat his hand. Wiping it on the covers as he drew his hand out again, Merlin raised an eyebrow.

“Pleasure enough for you, Sire?”

“Mmm…”

“Get some sleep, Arthur.” Merlin gently tucked the covers back around him from where Arthur had squirmed in the throes of pleasure. He knew he shouldn’t have done it, but he had never been able to deny Arthur anything. To his delight, Arthur was sagging back against the pillows, spent in more ways than one. Merlin shifted until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently stroking his fingers through Arthur’s hair. He knew how much this relaxed the man.

“I’ll be here when you wake up,” he heard himself promising, watching intently as Arthur’s eyes began to flicker. Eventually, they didn’t open again and Merlin sighed, leaning forward so he could rest his forehead against Arthur’s.

“I’ll always be here.”

How could he be anywhere else? One thing the last fortnight had taught him was that every second Arthur was out of his sight, Merlin worried.

Considering the injuries now coating his lover’s body, he thought he had every right too as well.


End file.
